News

Google has released Google Maps 5.7 for Android and added Transit Navigation (Beta), which currently provides over 12 billion miles of GPS-guided driving and walking directions per year. According to the company GPS turn-by-turn (or in this case, stop-by-stop) navigation is now available for public transit directions in 400+ cities around the globe.

Azure Dynamics Corporation, a specialist in the development and production of hybrid electric and electric components and powertrain systems for commercial vehicles, has announced an agreement with Ford Motor Company whereby Azure will integrate its proprietary plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology into the Ford F-Series Super Duty product line.

UK transport secretary Philip Hammond yesterday cut the ribbon at the Hindhead twin bore tunnel in Surrey, signifying the end of a US$605 million, 1.8 km-long bypass of Hindhead village on the A3 between London and Portsmouth. The new tunnels will be used by 30,000 vehicles/day.

The next wave of telematics systems in China will be based on smartphone connectivity, and will harness the power of 3G networks, according to the latest report from Strategy Analytics, “China Domestic OEM Telematics Solutions - Chang'an In Call & Its Local Counterparts.”

TÜV Rheinland, a global specialist in independent testing, inspection, certification, and consulting services, has announced Suzanne Murtha’s appointment as business development manager for its ITS group. In her new role, Murtha will develop and manage TÜV Rheinland’s North American consulting, assessment, analysis, verification, validation, testing and certification of ITS components and systems.

Earlier this year, General Motors signed a definitive agreement with ABB Group to identify joint research and development projects that would reuse Chevrolet Volt battery systems, which will have up to 70 per cent of life remaining after their automotive use is exhausted. Recent research conducted by GM predicts that secondary use of 33 Volt batteries will have enough storage capacity to power up to 50 homes for about four hours during a power cut.

Agnik, a US-based data analytics company for distributed, mobile and embedded environments, has selected Kore Telematics to power its MineDrive usage-based automobile insurance application. This provides insurance carriers with detailed intelligence about driver and automobile performance, enabling more accurate adjustment of their offerings.

California saw a decline in overall traffic deaths for the fifth year in a row. According to federal government figures, total vehicle fatalities dropped 11.9 per cent, from 3,081 in 2009 to 2,715 in 2010. Since the latest high of 4,333 in 2005, the 2010 figures show a total decline of 37.3 per cent.

The authorities in Puerto Rico awarded a contract to a consortium for two toll roads under a 40 year deal. The joint venture partnership comprises Spanish firm Abertis and Goldman Sachs' GS Global Infrastructure Partners II. The deal concerns the 83km PR22 road and the 8km PR5 road. The PR22 link is a major route with up to 10 lanes at its widest point while the urban PR5 road runs from PR22 to the western suburbs of San Juan.

The International Institute for Information Design (IIID), in cooperation with FH St. Poelten University of Applied Sciences, Austria, has announced Traffic & Transport Information Design, a five semester MSc course starting in October and which is based on distance teaching with blocked modules at the FH St.Poelten, Austria. Taught by top experts from more than 10 countries, the English-language based MSc Traffic&Transport Information Design course is being operated under the auspices of UNESCO.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the US Department of Transportation and the Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL) located in Brussels, Belgium have signed a six-year memorandum of cooperation. This agreement complements the role of the FHWA as an associate of FEHRL, which aims to increase cooperation and coordination in road research, development and deployment, taking into account the shared challenges faced by the FHWA and the members of FEHRL, and the authority pro

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has selected AeroVironment to manufacture, supply, install and operate a network of nine fast-charging stations for electric vehicles on Interstate 5 and US 2. Stations will be located every 40 to 60 miles along stretches of I-5 between the Canadian border and Everett and between Olympia and the Oregon border, as well as along US 2 between Everett and Leavenworth.

The Björn Steiger Stiftung, a German foundation originally set up to improve the response time emergency services need to help injury victims, has announced that the emergency telephones on federal, state and county roads will be abolished in all federal states in Germany except Baden-Württemberg. The foundation attributed the decision to cost reasons but also pointed out that the emergency telephones were becoming more and more superfluous due to mobile location technology.

National City, in San Diego county, California, has installed Opticom multimode signal equipment to enhance safety and provide more efficient traffic signal preemption and management. Currently, more than 70 intersections are equipped with infrared (IR) signal priority technology, most of which are Opticom devices. This allows emergency responders to activate green lights en route to their destination. With the new multimode technology installed at eight intersections, traffic signals can be triggered using

Amey and URS/Scott Wilson have won a four-year contract to manage, maintain and improve ITS throughout Wales. This includes all the associated telecommunications and tunnel systems for the entire motorway and trunk road network in Wales. The contract, which starts this month, will see the companies managing a wide range of motorway technology including telephones, signals, CCTV cameras and the two traffic management centres.